Endangered Animal Species Animals are considered endangered when they are at risk of extinction, either because there are only a small number of them left, due to threats from changes to their environment, shifting of predator to prey ratios, and other factors. Nations over the last 50 years have developed laws to protect species from becoming extinct; however few species actually get on these lists. Many become extinct without the attention or protection of humans, though it is true that in probably all cases over the last century, the machinations of humans have caused the imbalances that have led to the disappearance of thousands of animal and plant species. Especially within the last century and a half, species have been becoming extinct at a higher rate than at any time in history. In the case of the Amazon Rainforest, which covers parts of Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil, the loss of habitat created by farmers who cut down trees and burn whole tracts of jungle for cattle grazing and crop production, may result in unknowable consequences for the entire planet. The Amazon has been called the lungs of the planet, and its further destruction could accelerate global warming, with devastating consequences for humans and most of the species on Earth.
Some endangered species of Peru are:
1) The Andean Condor: (Vultur Gryphus) was put on the Endangered Species list in 1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These majestic birds are found in the Andes Mountains, and along the coast of Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Factors in their endangerment include hunting, deforestation, air pollution and food and water contamination, as well as reduction in available food supply (declining populations of prey). Their slow reproductive rate is also a factor, as they lay eggs only every second year. There is not yet an accurate census of the numbers left, though there are believed to be only a few thousand left in the wild Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Ciconiiformes
Familia:
Cathartidae
Genus:
Vultur
Species:
Vulturgryphus
2) The Amazonian Manatee, Vulnerable (Trichechus inunguis), is a freshwater species of manatee, found throughout the northern Amazon River Basin and its tributaries. It is the smallest of the three manatee species, and a few are found in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. All manatees are entirely aquatic mammals that do not leave the water for the duration of their life cycle. They feed on plants and water vegetation, and are gentle, non-aggressive animals with flippers as forelimbs and no hind limbs; rather they possess a flat, cylindrical shaped tail. Factors in their endangered status include hunting, drowning in fishing nets, and loss of food supply resulting from deforestation. Its populations continue to decline, mainly due to hunting. Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mannalia
Order:
Sirenia
Familia:
Trichechidae
Genus:
Trichechus
Species:
T. inunguis
3) The Andean Cat, Endangered (Oreailurus jacobita) considered among the five most endangered cats in the world, is considered critically endangered. It is found in the high regions of Peru, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, and is one of the shyest and least known cats in existence. About the size of a housecat, Andean Cats feed on several classes of mice, small birds and rodents. Along with the Pampas cat, (Oncifelis colocolo), it is known as "osqhollo" by the Quechua. Factors contributing to its declining numbers may include reduction of prey, harvesting of plants that their prey is dependent on, and hunting by humans.
The Andean cat’s main prey likely is the mountain vizcacha. The mountain chinchilla was probably also an important prey species until its populations were decimated as a result of the international fur trade. The cat may be active at various times during the day and night. Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Familia:
Felidae
Genus:
Leopardus
Species:
L. Jacobita
4) The Yellow Tailed Woolly Monkey, Critically Endangered Endemic to Perú. (Oreonax flavicauda), is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes. There are less than 250 of these monkeys left in the northern Peruvian cloud forests. They have thick hair and long prehensile tails. They eat fruits, leaves, flowers, and buds. Loss of habitat due to destruction of forests for agriculture and cattle-ranching has contributed to the critically endangered status of these monkeys. The inaccessibility of its habitat protected the species until the 1950's. However, the construction of new roads; habitat loss and fragmentation from agriculture, logging and cattle ranching; and subsistence hunting; together with the monkey's naturally low population densities, slow maturation, low reproductive rate, and a restricted geographic distribution have led to this species' current critically endangered status. Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Primates
Familia:
Cebidae
Genus:
Lagothrix
Species:
L. Flavicauda
5) The Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus Variegatus), the smaller member of the sloth family, inhabits the Amazon rainforests of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. It is the slowest moving mammal on Earth, and is physiologically incapable of keeping its body temperature stable. In this way, it resembles snakes and other reptiles. It moves so slowly that algae grows on its fur, giving it an iridescent green glow at night. It is only able to live in warm, humid environments. Because of the encroachment of humans into their habitat, these creatures are potentially endangered.
Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Pilosa
Familia:
Bradypodidae
Genus:
Linnaeus
Species:
Bradypus Variegatus
6) The Amazon Pink River Dolphin, Vulnerable (IniaGeoffrensis), known as boutu by the inhabitants of the jungle, is classified as a vulnerable species on the endangered species list. It is one of only five species of freshwater dolphins in the world. It inhabits muddy rivers, relying on echolocation to hunt for prey. These dolphins may be pink or pale blue; they are often albino. Factors threatening these unique animals include damming, building canals and diversion of river courses. The boto is vulnerable to human-induced habitat changes and suffers some incidental mortality in fisheries. Threats include fish taken in fisheries; hydroelectric development; deforestation; and pollution from agriculture, industry andmining.
Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Cetacea
Familia:
Iniidae
Genus:
Inia
Species:
Inia geoffrensis
7) The Marvelous Spatuletail Hummingbird, (Colibrí Admirable), is a species of hummingbird that is found only in the jungles of Northern Peru. The species is unique because it has only four tail feathers, two of which end in spoon-shaped "spatules;" each of the two feathers resembling a spatula, with an elongated “handle” and the round “spatula” part at the end. The males use their tails in a fascinating courtship display, during which they whirl them about and perform acrobatics to impress females. They have been considered endangered since 2000, and have been declared the “regional bird” for the northern Peruvian Amazon. A Peruvian endemic, this species is distributed to the forest edge of Rio Utcubamba. Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves (birds)
Order:
Apodiformes
(Swifts & hummingbirds)
Familia:
Trochilidae
(humingbirds)
Genus:
Archilochus
Species:
Colubris
8) The MountainTapir (Tapirus pinchaque)EndangeredIt inhabits montane forests, in scrub habitats, dominated by stunted trees and shrubs. It prefers moist habitats and bathes frequently. The mountain tapir feeds on shoots and leaves of trees and/or shrubs, with a diet that includes ferns and plant shoots. The mountain tapir's decline has been caused mainly by habitat loss through clearing (often by burning) for agriculture and livestock. Hunting for meat and sport has also been a factor. In the 1960's and 1970's, many mountain tapirs were lost due to capture (with high mortality) for zoos. Recently it has been pointed out that Highland Indians use the tapir's hooves and snout as medicinal remedies for epilepsy and heart problems. The latter are also sold in urban centers. This commerce is proving particularly devastating to surviving populations.
Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Perissodactyla
Family:
Tapiridae
Genus:
Tapirus
Species:
Tapirus Pinchaque
9) Guanaco (Lama guanicoe):
The guanaco is part of the camelid family. Most of its body is covered by soft, long hair. Its fine wool is highly prized and ranks higher than the alpaca. They are an endangered species mainly found in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile.
Guanaco are social creatures and live in family groups. These groups can vary from 2 individuals to 30. Guanaco eat grass, shrubs, plants lichens and fungi. Solitary males and males groups have to travel farther in search of food than the family groups do.
People who live in the areas where the guanaco are present benefit from them by hunting them. They eat their meat, use their hides for Clothing and shelter, they use their bezoar stones (indigestible balls of hair and such found in the stomach) for medicine and their fibers for sewing. They also domesticate the young for use in entertainment. Classification
Reino:
Animalia
Filo:
Chordata
Clase:
Mammalia
Orden:
Artiodactyla
Familia:
Camelidae
Género:
Lama
Especie:
Guanicoe
10) Spectacled bear (Oso de Anteojos) (Tremarctos ornatus) Also known as the Andean Bear, Tremarctos ornatus, is commonly referred to in English as the "Spectacled bear".
The bears make their habitat around the Andes tropical basin, where an abundance of water and vegetation provides an adequate supplement to their very basic dietary needs of roots, leaves, shoots, berries, occasionally insects, rodents and carrion. They are diurnal, exhibit periods of rest approximating 1-2 hours midday, and do not hibernate (though they will den up in inclement weather). Being an arboreal bear, the spectacled bear lives mostly in dens near high canopy tropical rainforests, or occasionally in the surrounding trees to avoid danger of predatory mammals.
The spectacled bear population is under threat for a number of reasons. The bears are hunted by locals due to a belief they will eat livestock (despite the fact that bears do not eat meat in great quantities). The gall bladders of the spectacled bear are also valued in Oriental Medicine and fetch a high price on the international market. Extensive logging and farming have led to a loss of habitat for the bears. Classification
Endangered Animal Species
Animals are considered endangered when they are at risk of extinction, either because there are only a small number of them left, due to threats from changes to their environment, shifting of predator to prey ratios, and other factors. Nations over the last 50 years have developed laws to protect species from becoming extinct; however few species actually get on these lists. Many become extinct without the attention or protection of humans, though it is true that in probably all cases over the last century, the machinations of humans have caused the imbalances that have led to the disappearance of thousands of animal and plant species.
Especially within the last century and a half, species have been becoming extinct at a higher rate than at any time in history. In the case of the Amazon Rainforest, which covers parts of Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil, the loss of habitat created by farmers who cut down trees and burn whole tracts of jungle for cattle grazing and crop production, may result in unknowable consequences for the entire planet. The Amazon has been called the lungs of the planet, and its further destruction could accelerate global warming, with devastating consequences for humans and most of the species on Earth.
Some endangered species of Peru are:
1) The Andean Condor: (Vultur Gryphus) was put on the Endangered Species list in 1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These majestic birds are found in the Andes Mountains, and along the coast of Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Factors in their endangerment include hunting, deforestation, air pollution and food and water contamination, as well as reduction in available food supply (declining populations of prey). Their slow reproductive rate is also a factor, as they lay eggs only every second year. There is not yet an accurate census of the numbers left, though there are believed to be only a few thousand left in the wild
Classification
2) The Amazonian Manatee, Vulnerable (Trichechus inunguis), is a freshwater species of manatee, found throughout the northern Amazon River Basin and its tributaries. It is the smallest of the three manatee species, and a few are found in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. All manatees are entirely aquatic mammals that do not leave the water for the duration of their life cycle. They feed on plants and water vegetation, and are gentle, non-aggressive animals with flippers as forelimbs and no hind limbs; rather they possess a flat, cylindrical shaped tail. Factors in their endangered status include hunting, drowning in fishing nets, and loss of food supply resulting from deforestation. Its populations continue to decline, mainly due to hunting.
Classification
3) The Andean Cat, Endangered (Oreailurus jacobita) considered among the five most endangered cats in the world, is considered critically endangered. It is found in the high regions of Peru, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, and is one of the shyest and least known cats in existence. About the size of a housecat, Andean Cats feed on several classes of mice, small birds and rodents. Along with the Pampas cat, (Oncifelis colocolo), it is known as "osqhollo" by the Quechua. Factors contributing to its declining numbers may include reduction of prey, harvesting of plants that their prey is dependent on, and hunting by humans.
The Andean cat’s main prey likely is the mountain vizcacha. The mountain chinchilla was probably also an important prey species until its populations were decimated as a result of the international fur trade. The cat may be active at various times during the day and night.
Classification
4) The Yellow Tailed Woolly Monkey, Critically Endangered Endemic to Perú. (Oreonax flavicauda), is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes. There are less than 250 of these monkeys left in the northern Peruvian cloud forests. They have thick hair and long prehensile tails. They eat fruits, leaves, flowers, and buds. Loss of habitat due to destruction of forests for agriculture and cattle-ranching has contributed to the critically endangered status of these monkeys.
The inaccessibility of its habitat protected the species until the 1950's. However, the construction of new roads; habitat loss and fragmentation from agriculture, logging and cattle ranching; and subsistence hunting; together with the monkey's naturally low population densities, slow maturation, low reproductive rate, and a restricted geographic distribution have led to this species' current critically endangered status.
Classification
5) The Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus Variegatus), the smaller member of the sloth family, inhabits the Amazon rainforests of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. It is the slowest moving mammal on Earth, and is physiologically incapable of keeping its body temperature stable. In this way, it resembles snakes and other reptiles. It moves so slowly that algae grows on its fur, giving it an iridescent green glow at night. It is only able to live in warm, humid environments. Because of the encroachment of humans into their habitat, these creatures are potentially endangered.
Classification
6) The Amazon Pink River Dolphin, Vulnerable (Inia Geoffrensis), known as boutu by the inhabitants of the jungle, is classified as a vulnerable species on the endangered species list. It is one of only five species of freshwater dolphins in the world. It inhabits muddy rivers, relying on echolocation to hunt for prey. These dolphins may be pink or pale blue; they are often albino. Factors threatening these unique animals include damming, building canals and diversion of river courses. The boto is vulnerable to human-induced habitat changes and suffers some incidental mortality in fisheries. Threats include fish taken in fisheries; hydroelectric development; deforestation; and pollution from agriculture, industry and mining.
Classification
7) The Marvelous Spatuletail Hummingbird, (Colibrí Admirable), is a species of hummingbird that is found only in the jungles of Northern Peru. The species is unique because it has only four tail feathers, two of which end in spoon-shaped "spatules;" each of the two feathers resembling a spatula, with an elongated “handle” and the round “spatula” part at the end. The males use their tails in a fascinating courtship display, during which they whirl them about and perform acrobatics to impress females. They have been considered endangered since 2000, and have been declared the “regional bird” for the northern Peruvian Amazon. A Peruvian endemic, this species is distributed to the forest edge of Rio Utcubamba.
Classification
(Swifts & hummingbirds)
(humingbirds)
8) The Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) Endangered It inhabits montane forests, in scrub habitats, dominated by stunted trees and shrubs. It prefers moist habitats and bathes frequently. The mountain tapir feeds on shoots and leaves of trees and/or shrubs, with a diet that includes ferns and plant shoots.
The mountain tapir's decline has been caused mainly by habitat loss through clearing (often by burning) for agriculture and livestock. Hunting for meat and sport has also been a factor. In the 1960's and 1970's, many mountain tapirs were lost due to capture (with high mortality) for zoos. Recently it has been pointed out that Highland Indians use the tapir's hooves and snout as medicinal remedies for epilepsy and heart problems. The latter are also sold in urban centers. This commerce is proving particularly devastating to surviving populations.
Classification
9) Guanaco (Lama guanicoe):
The guanaco is part of the camelid family. Most of its body is covered by soft, long hair. Its fine wool is highly prized and ranks higher than the alpaca. They are an endangered species mainly found in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile.
Guanaco are social creatures and live in family groups. These groups can vary from 2 individuals to 30. Guanaco eat grass, shrubs, plants lichens and fungi. Solitary males and males groups have to travel farther in search of food than the family groups do.
People who live in the areas where the guanaco are present benefit from them by hunting them. They eat their meat, use their hides for Clothing and shelter, they use their bezoar stones (indigestible balls of hair and such found in the stomach) for medicine and their fibers for sewing. They also domesticate the young for use in entertainment.
Classification
10) Spectacled bear (Oso de Anteojos) (Tremarctos ornatus)
Also known as the Andean Bear, Tremarctos ornatus, is commonly referred to in English as the "Spectacled bear".
The bears make their habitat around the Andes tropical basin, where an abundance of water and vegetation provides an adequate supplement to their very basic dietary needs of roots, leaves, shoots, berries, occasionally insects, rodents and carrion. They are diurnal, exhibit periods of rest approximating 1-2 hours midday, and do not hibernate (though they will den up in inclement weather). Being an arboreal bear, the spectacled bear lives mostly in dens near high canopy tropical rainforests, or occasionally in the surrounding trees to avoid danger of predatory mammals.
The spectacled bear population is under threat for a number of reasons. The bears are hunted by locals due to a belief they will eat livestock (despite the fact that bears do not eat meat in great quantities). The gall bladders of the spectacled bear are also valued in Oriental Medicine and fetch a high price on the international market. Extensive logging and farming have led to a loss of habitat for the bears.
Classification
SOURCES of INFORMATION:
http://www.peruecologico.com.pe/extincion.htm
http://www.animalinfo.org/country/peru.htm
http://www.inturkuoda.com/Interesting_articles/endangered_animals.html
The classification and also some pictures, I could found with the key:
The specie + Taxonomy and some animals specifying the names.
Name: Sandra Un Jan Contreras
Sixth , Da Vinci